There are usually so many ways to celebrate wedding anniversaries. A dinner out at a favorite restaurant. A card and gift, either following the annual traditional lists or just selecting something heartfelt. For milestone anniversaries, a trip or party might be on the agenda.
During the coronavirus pandemic, though, a happy couple’s options are limited. Travel, restaurant dining and celebratory group gatherings continue to be changed significantly, if not put on hold altogether.
So how can couples embrace their moment and celebrate the anniversary of their wedding days? These easy ideas can make for an anniversary no one will soon forget.
1) Learn Something Together
Online cooking classes abound these days, and with just a little advanced planning, you can learn to make dumplings, tacos, bread, homemade pasta, salad dressings or practically anything else you can imagine.
If you can’t go to a favorite restaurant this year, try learning to create a favorite dish in your own kitchen. You may find even more delight in learning new skills together with your spouse than you did in sharing a restaurant-made dessert.
2) Plant a Seed
Marriage is about getting your hands dirty in the work of creating a shared life. Why not take that metaphor literally and dig space into a pot or small garden area in celebration of your union? You might like to plant a perennial plant or bush, one that will bloom year after year, just like your relationship.
3) Give Back
If you are going low-key with your anniversary celebration this year, perhaps you can spend your celebration budget to support those in need. A donation to a local food pantry, for example, could help other couples and families stay safe and nourished during this challenging time. Doing good in the name of your marriage can help reinforce what you stand for as a couple.
4) Walk Down Memory Lane
Most couples have a wedding album, video or other keepsakes from their special day. Your anniversary is the perfect opportunity to cuddle on the couch and revisit all the tender, funny, even unexpected or messy moments from your wedding day. What do you see in yourselves as you look back, and how have you changed and grown?
5) Invite Others’ Thoughts
“It takes a village” to do so many things, including nurture and cultivate a lasting marriage. As you celebrate another year of your union, reach out to friends and family who know you as a couple and ask them to send you a memory, an observation, a photo or something else that shows how your marriage impacts and inspires the people in your life.
Have you celebrated a wedding anniversary during the coronavirus pandemic? How have you made the occasion special?
